Beverly Shores, Indiana
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Beverly Shores is a town in Pine Township,
Porter County Porter County is a county in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2020, the population was 173,215, making it the 10th most populous county in Indiana. The county seat is Valparaiso. The county is part of Northwest Indiana, as well as the Chicago m ...
,
Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
, United States, about east of downtown
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
. The population was 613 at the 2010 census.


History

Beverly Shores began life as a planned resort community. The Chicago, Lake Shore & South Bend railroad began to provide service from
South Bend South Bend is a city in and the county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana, on the St. Joseph River near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total of 103,453 residents and is the fourt ...
to Chicago shortly after 1900. The Chicago businessman
Samuel Insull Samuel Insull (November 11, 1859 – July 16, 1938) was a British-born American business magnate. He was an innovator and investor based in Chicago who greatly contributed to create an integrated electrical infrastructure in the United States ...
reorganized the line as the Chicago, South Shore & South Bend (today's
South Shore Line The South Shore Line is an electrically powered interurban commuter rail line operated by the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) between Millennium Station in downtown Chicago and the South Bend International Airport in ...
) in 1925, upgrading the stations and encouraging tourism. A number of promotional posters were issued, many of which remain in print.Morrow, James. Images of America, Beverly Shores, A Suburban Dunes Resort. Chicago: Arcadia Publishing, 2001. The Frederick H. Bartlett Company, at that time one of Chicago's largest real-estate developers, bought in the area in 1927, and plotted thousands of homesites. He named the prospective development Lake Shore, North Shore Beach and South Shore Acres. The
Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
dampened its prospects, and many of the plots were never built on. Robert Bartlett, Frederick Bartlett's brother, purchased the properties in 1933. He named the entire development after his daughter Beverly, and continued to develop its infrastructure with roads, a school, a golf course, and a hotel. He purchased and relocated sixteen structures from Chicago's 1933-34
Century of Progress A Century of Progress International Exposition, also known as the Chicago World's Fair, was a world's fair held in the city of Chicago, Illinois, United States, from 1933 to 1934. The fair, registered under the Bureau International des Expositi ...
World's Fair, four of which were transported by barges on Lake Michigan.Collins, Judith E; et al.; Cypress Log Cabin, Guest House, Beverly Shores-Century of Progress Architectural District; Historic American Buildings Survey, National Park Service, Washington, DC; HABS IN-241-A, HABS IND 64-BEVSH, 2A; 1994 The community was incorporated in 1947. After World War II, a number of industrial developments, including Burns Harbor, were built to the west, and by the 1950s environmental organizations had begun to push for preservation of the area. The Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore was established in 1966. During the 1970s, there was a movement to purchase all the homes in Beverly Shores and incorporate the entire town into the National Lakeshore. This initiative did not succeed, but many local properties were acquired, especially those in the wetlands that constitute the southern portion. The acquisition process is ongoing. The owners of lots fronting on the beach were granted lifetime leasebacks with the proviso that the property would revert to the National Lakeshore; many of these houses have since been demolished. The 1970s saw a period of record high lake levels and
beach erosion Coastal erosion is the loss or displacement of land, or the long-term removal of sediment and rocks along the coastline due to the action of waves, currents, tides, wind-driven water, waterborne ice, or other impacts of storms. The landward ...
; the owners of lakefront properties often responded by dumping large quantities of concrete blocks ( riprap) onto the sand in front of their houses, which continue to mar the beach. The beach is now conspicuously public, although nearby parking is limited. A resurgence of development took place during the 1990s and 2000s, when many million-dollar-plus houses were built on the dunes near the lakefront. In the early 2000s, excessive levels of arsenic, boron, lead, and manganese were found in wells in the nearby town of
Pines A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. The World Flora Online created by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanical Garden accep ...
, and pipelines delivering Lake Michigan water treated by Michigan City were extended into Beverly Shores. This time period also saw explosive growth of the local white-tailed deer population, a problem that has polarized its residents. In 1998, the Spanish Colonial Revival
train depot A train station, railway station, railroad station or depot is a railway facility where trains stop to load or unload passengers, freight or both. It generally consists of at least one platform, one track and a station building providing such ...
, originally built in 1929, was reopened following a historic renovation. The restored train depot now also houses a museum, displaying historic photographs and memorabilia, and a gallery, featuring rotating exhibits of local art. Easily accessible from Chicago, Beverly Shores is a second home to many Chicagoans who are referred to locally as some-timers. Both full-time and some-time residents come together for community activities such as ice skating on the frozen pond during Winterfest, the 5k Necktie Race held on Father's Day, and the annual summertime event the Fireman's Ball which raises money for the volunteer fire department. Beverly Shores has always enjoyed the reputation of being a "gay-friendly" community. For example, the "Last Outpost" and "Los Compadres" restaurants were, in their heyday, major points of interest in northwest Indiana for the homosexual community. Along with the acceptance of gay culture, Beverly Shores has long been a haven for artists. In the recent years up to 2008, there were no local Beverly Shores eating or drinking establishments. Grecco's and the Red Lantern were two restaurants down by the beachfront but they closed a long time ago. In November 2008, the old Bruno's Bar was reopened after much renovation under the name Bartlett's, a nod to the developer, Robert Bartlett. Bartlett's closed in 2019. Later that year, a restaurant, deli, and bar, the Goblin and the Grocer, opened at the corner of Broadway and Dunes Highway. In 2010, the Rolling Stonebaker, a Studebaker fire truck converted into a wood-fired pizzeria, opened in Beverly Shores. In 2011, The Rolling Stonebaker was named the best pizza in the state of Indiana by Food Network Magazine. Beverly Shores attracts many visitors, particularly nature enthusiasts, cyclists and bird watchers, who come to enjoy the beaches and the marshlands. Overnight lodging options are limited but visitors who wish to stay the night can reserve a campsite at Dunewood Camp. On June 24, 2014, the
International Dark-Sky Association The International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) is a United States-based non-profit organization incorporated in 1988 by founders David Crawford, a professional astronomer, and Tim Hunter, a physician/amateur astronomer. The mission of the IDA is " ...
announced Beverly Shores as the world's seventh international dark sky community.


Geography

Located along the Lake Michigan shoreline and adjacent to the Indiana Dunes National Park, the town was initially developed as a planned resort community of second homes for Chicago residents. Six sites are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. These include a cluster of six buildings that were transported by barge from the Homes of Tomorrow Exhibition of the 1933 Century of Progress World's Fair which took place in Chicago. This site is known as the
Century of Progress Architectural District The Century of Progress Architectural District is a historic district in Beverly Shores, Indiana. The district is on Lake Shore Drive within the Indiana Dunes National Park. The district comprises five buildings, all from the Homes of Tomorrow ...
. Beverly Shores is located at , along the
Lake Michigan Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is the second-largest of the Great Lakes by volume () and the third-largest by surface area (), after Lake Superior and Lake Huron. To the east, its basin is conjoined with that o ...
shoreline. It is bordered by
Indiana Dunes State Park Indiana Dunes State Park is an Indiana State Park located in Porter County, Indiana, United States, east of Chicago. The park is bounded by Lake Michigan to the northwest and is surrounded by as well as within the authorized boundaries of Indi ...
on the west, Lake Michigan on the north, the village of
Pines A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. The World Flora Online created by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanical Garden accep ...
on the south, and Michigan City on the east. Much of the immediate area is part of Indiana Dunes National Park. According to the 2010 census, Beverly Shores has a total area of , of which (or 61.51%) is land and (or 38.49%) is water.


Demographics


2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 613 people, 312 households, and 193 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 527 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 96.6% White, 1.3% African American, 0.3%
Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.8% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or
Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...
of any race were 2.8% of the population. There were 312 households, of which 12.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.8% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 5.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 1.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.1% were non-families. 32.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.96 and the average family size was 2.45. The median age in the town was 59 years. 9.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 3.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 10.4% were from 25 to 44; 41.9% were from 45 to 64; and 34.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 50.2% male and 49.8% female.


2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 708 people, 340 households, and 213 families residing in the town. The population density was 197.9 people per square mile (76.4 per km2). There were 524 housing units at an average density of 146.5 per square mile (56.5 per km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.60% White, 0.71% African American, 0.42%
Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.14% from other races, and 1.13% from two or more races. Hispanic or
Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...
of any race were 0.28% of the population. There were 340 households, out of which 11.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.4% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 4.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.1% were non-families. 29.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.08 and the average family size was 2.53. In the town, the population was 11.4% persons under the age of 18, 4.9% aged 18 to 24, 20.3% aged 25 to 44, 40.8% aged 45 to 64, and 22.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 51 years. For every 100 females, there were 110.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 110.4 males. The median income for a household in the town was $59,107, and the median income for a family was $81,203. Males had a median income of $46,389 versus $38,750 for females. The per capita income for the town was $40,825. About 4.0% of families and 4.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.4% of those under age 18 and 1.4% of those age 65 or over.


Beverly Shores buildings in the National Register of Historic Places

* The Bartlett Real Estate Office (added 2004 - Building #04000208), also known as Beverly Shores Administration Building, at 500 South Broadway * The Beverly Shores South Shore Railroad Station (built 1929, added 1989 - Building #89000411), Broadway Avenue and US 12 * Beverly Shores--Century of Progress Architectural District (added 1986 - District #86001472), also known as World's Fair Houses, at 208, 210, 212, 214, and 215 Lake Front Drive * The Imre and Maria Horner House (designed by Otto Kolb) (added 1996 - Building #96001006) * The Dr. John and Gerda Meyer House (built 1961, added 2012) *
Solomon Enclave Solomon Enclave is three historic homes located at Beverly Shores, Indiana, Beverly Shores, Porter County, Indiana. The three two-story, International Style (architecture), International Style flat-roofed dwellings were built in 1948. They are ...


See also

* Miller Beach


References


Beverly Shores buildings on the National Historic Register



US Census Bureau



External links


Town of Beverly Shores, Indiana website
{{authority control Towns in Porter County, Indiana Towns in Indiana Populated places established in 1927 1927 establishments in Indiana